In the appearance of two identical skeletons they each have one face and two hands. With three round eyes and wide smiling mouths they glare with unmoving features. The two hands hold in the right a stick topped with a white skull and vajra and in the left a blood filled skullcup held to the heart. Adorned with skull crowns tipped with gold and jewel ornaments, silk fan decorations protruding from the ear slots, they wear silk scarves and skirts red in colour. With their legs interlocked the Father stands on a conch shell and the Mother on a cowrie, atop a flat sun disc and multi-coloured lotus seat surrounded by the flames of pristine awareness. Directly above is a white canopy of human ribs, leg and arm bones. At the edges stung through decorative white skulls intestines hang in loops against a dark background adorned with a delicate floral pattern. At the bottom left and right are two small square frames depicting charnel ground scenes.

Shri Citipati arises from the Secret Essence Wheel Tantra and is associated with the Cakrasamvara Tantra (Anuttarayoga Tantra). Primarily employed as a wealth practice, with emphasis on protecting from thieves, they also serve as the special protector for the Vajrayogini 'Naro Khecari' practice. Shri Citipati is now common, to a greater or lesser extent, in all the Sarma Schools.

Lineage: Vajradhara, Vajrayogini, Mahasiddha Padmavajra, Lilavajra, Jnana Siddhi, Shri Samayavajra, Chime Lodro Zangpo, Ngulchu Vairocana, Khampa Gvalo Shonnu Pal, Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (1092-1158), etc.

Jeff Watt 4-98